Sir …. a few lines out of sympathy with
the poor Kidwellyites in their present distress. This, I think, is a time
when we football enthusiasts, can certainly show a little charity towards
them, were it only for the assistance given our team in the past in supplying
forwards of the calibre of Steve Thomas, Henry Evans and Dan Davies, not
without hopes of others in the future …. it would not be asking too much
for the Llanelly Football Club to give them a benefit match or failing
that, to see a return match between the Press and Police, which would
give the Press a chance of retrieving their good name before the public
of Llanelly.

I am, Yours, ……………
Sympathy

LLANELLI
and COUNTY GUARDIAN March 4th 1897.

THE DISTRESS AT KIDWELLY

There is not the slightest sign of a restart
at the Gwendraeth Tinplate Works at Kidwelly and they have now been closed
for 14 months. The distress prevalent in town is very great. The Works
during the past 6 to 7 years have only been going in a spasmodic manner
- working during that period considerably less than half time.

Efforts have been made locally to alleviate
the great distress and suffering felt and with no little success, thanks
to the kind-hearted subscribers. The Mayor, Mr. E. V. Davies through the
Public Relief Fund was till recently able to relieve some 150 families
weekly but his funds are now exhausted. The Vicar has been able by means
of his Soup Kitchen Funds to distribute quantities of soup and bread once
a week to applicants but this also will not last much longer and a quart
of soup and a loaf of bread is not much for a large family for a week.
Scores of men have gone elsewhere for employment of a kind at low wages
and the wives and children are left at home to suffer terribly - some
families have been for days without anything.

A letter in the Guardian last week suggested
a football match be played in aid of relief of Kidwelly distressed. Mr.
Totten, manager of the Royal Theatre, offered to place the Theatre at
the disposal of the Mayor's Relief Committee for a Concert - but this
could not be arranged. In the meantime help is urgently needed.

We should also have stated that Mr. Thomas
Wild, grocer, has also been making and distributing quantities of soup
weekly lately.

The
secretary of the Mayor's Public Fund, Mr. J. Morgan, desires to thank
Mr. Lloyd of Llanelly, for the 5s. 6d. received by the Fund. More contributions
are urgently required.

LLANELLI
and COUNTY GUARDIAN MARCH 11th 1897

DESTITUTION
AT KIDWELLY OVER 100 FAMILIES STARVING

There
is terrible destitution at Kidwelly. The Gwendraeth works were closed
in January of last year-14 months ago ....and a large number of men have
been idle ever since. There must, therefore, be the direst poverty in
the place. As stated in our last issue, over a 100 families are in absolute
want and unfortunately, there is no prospect of a re-start of the works
for the present. The shareholders met on Friday at Llanelly and decided
to dispose of the property but this will necessarily take some time, even
supposing that a purchaser will be found. The "Western Mail" granted a
sum of £15 on Saturday, part of which was distributed that evening.
More help, however, is urgently needed and we have no hesitation in appealing
to our readers in behalf of the distressed men. The secretary of the local
relief committee, Mr. John Morgan, will be glad to receive any donations,
however small.

A
number of distressed Kidwelly people are going to Llanelly asking for
help. While we have nothing to say against this we believe the best course
of action to be adopted by the charitably inclined would be to send their
offerings direct to the relief committee.